These are some of the stories central Maine is talking about today.

Gov. Paul LePage has endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a day after he officially joined the 2016 Republican presidential primary. LePage became the first Republican governor to announce a pick in the presidential race. LePage called Christie "the real deal." Christie detoured to Maine to pick up the endorsement, announced under a leaking tent on the deck of Becky's Diner in Portland. LePage says Christie will tell voters things they need to hear and then work to fix them. (AP)

Maine's watchdog agency will look into allegations that Republican Gov. Paul LePage threated to use public funds to punish a political opponent. The Legislature's Government Oversight Committee unanimously supported initiating an investigation by Office of Program Evaluation and government Accountability. Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves accused LePage last week of blackmailing Good Will-Hinckley into removing him as president by threatening to withhold $500,000 a year in state funds. LePage's chief legal counsel said in a letter that LePage and his executive powers aren't subject to oversight by the agency. But the director of the agency said the investigation will be a fact-finding mission and will not draw conclusions about whether the governor's actions were appropriate. She said that's within her agency's authority. (AP)

A Maine government survey says the average statewide cash price for heating oil fell 5 cents from a month ago. The Governor's Energy Office says the average price was $2.45 a gallon. The average kerosene price fell 2 cents to $3 and propane prices fell 10 cents to $2.42. State officials say the lower prices are a sign of the heating "off" season. The highest price for heating oil in the state was $2.80 in eastern Maine while the low price of $2.10 was found in the southwestern and western parts of the state. Southwestern Maine had the highest average price for kerosene at $3.06, while the average propane price topped out at $2.49 in northern Maine. (AP)

Forest rangers will be working to ensure people aren't bringing out-of-state firewood into Maine over the holiday weekend. Maine Forest Service Rangers will be located at several visitor locations today and tomorrow to inspect loads of firewood being carried by vehicles that are registered outside of Maine. They will confiscate any firewood from out of state that has been illegally brought into Maine. They will also educate visitors about the risk of untreated firewood, which can bring destructive insects into Maine. Rangers will also be out at private and public campgrounds throughout the holiday weekend. (AP)

Waterville has adopted a policy requiring visitors to carry out what they carry into city parks, playgrounds, fields and other recreation areas. The trash and garbage at the sites drew birds, skunks, raccoons and flies, among other pests. Waterville was using 12 to 16 man hours a week just doing clean up. According to the KJ, signs went up recently at the playground, asking patrons to carry out anything they carry into the site. This included picking up after your pets. (centralmaine.com)

U.S. employers likely hired at another strong pace in June. Economists surveyed by the data firm FactSet believe employers added 233,000 jobs in June and that the jobless rate dipped to 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent in May. The federal government releases unemployment figures this morning. (AP)

Greece and its creditors have halted talks on resolving the country's deepening financial crisis until this weekend's referendum. The Greek government doesn't want to put up more collateral in order to receive the final installment of bailout money, and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras believes a "no" vote from citizens gives Athens a strong negotiating position. Meanwhile, banks remain closed in Greece and citizens are limited to how much they can withdraw from ATMs. (AP)

A federal appeals court is telling judges in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that they must issue final rulings by July 17 on gay marriage cases in their state, and that they must fall in line with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. In Alabama, a federal judge has ruled that the handful of counties that have continued to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses must now issue them. (AP)

There's a new warden at the maximum-security prison where two inmates escaped last month. Thirty-year correction veteran Michael Kirkpatrick will be the new superintendent of the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. The previous warden was placed on paid leave Tuesday along with two of his deputies and nine other staff members following the escape of two convicted killers on June 6. Police shot and killed one escapee on Friday. The other one was captured on Sunday. (AP)

A man charged in the slayings of a wealthy family and their housekeeper inside a Washington mansion is due in court today for a preliminary hearing. Police say Daron Wint held Savvas Savopoulos, his wife, 10-year-old son and their housekeeper captive for up to 18 hours inside their home in May before he was paid a $40,000 ransom. After that, police say he stabbed and beat the victims to death and set the house on fire. Wint was captured a week later. (AP)

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